Saudi national team coach Georgios Donis announced the final list of the Greens participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals, limiting himself to 26 players to compete in the global tournament that the national team will begin in the eighth group competitions that include Spain, Uruguay and Cape Verde.
The official announcement witnessed the exit of five players from the final list, namely: Abdul Rahman Al-Sanabi, Abdul Quddus Attia, Saleh Abu Al-Shamat, Zakaria Hawsawi, and Abdullah Al Salem, after their participation in the previous preparation stages and the final team camps.
Abu Al-Shamat and Hawsawi…the most prominent absentees
The decision to exclude the duo, Saleh Abu Al-Shamat and Zakaria Hawsawi, sparked widespread reactions in sports circles and among Saudi fans, especially since the players performed at remarkable levels during the last season, and many observers believed that they had great chances of being included in the final list for the World Cup.
The fans circulated many questions on social media platforms about the reasons for the duo’s absence, considering that what they presented during the last period makes them among the names capable of providing the technical addition to the green in the global forum, while the technical staff led by Denis preferred other options that are compatible with his artistic vision and the requirements of the tournament.
3 players continue camp
On the other hand, the technical staff decided to continue the trio, Abdullah Al Salem, Abdul Rahman Al-Sanbi, and Abdul Quddus Attia in the national team camp, despite their exclusion from the final list, in anticipation of any developments that may arise before the start of the competitions.
This trend comes in line with the tournament regulations, which allow any player included in the final list to be replaced 24 hours before the team’s first match if he suffers an injury that prevents him from participating. The regulations also allow for the injured goalkeeper to be replaced during the tournament period.
Final green list
The Saudi national team’s roster for the World Cup included: Muhammad Al-Owais, Nawaf Al-Aqidi, Ahmed Al-Kassar, Abdullah Al-Omari, Hassan Timbukti, Jihad Zakry, Ali Lagami, Hassan Kadish, Saud Abdul-Hamid, Muhammad Abu Al-Shamat, Ali Majrashi, Mutaib Al-Harbi, Nawaf Bushel, Muhammad Kanno, Abdullah Al-Khaibari, Ziad Al-Juhani, Nasser Al-Dossari, Musab Al-Jawir, Alaa Al. Hajji, Salem Al-Dosari, Khaled Al-Ghannam, Ayman Yahya, Sultan Mandash, Firas Al-Braikan, Saleh Al-Shehri, and Abdullah Al-Hamdan.
A strong group awaits the green
The Saudi national team is awaiting a difficult challenge in Group Eight, as it will face the teams of Spain, Uruguay and Cape Verde, amid public hopes for an honorable participation and a repeat of the remarkable presence that Al-Akhdar provided in previous editions of the World Cup.
The head coach of the Saudi national team, Georgios Donis, announced the final list of players for the Green team participating in the FIFA World Cup 2026, limiting it to 26 players to compete in the global tournament, which the national team will kick off in Group H alongside Spain, Uruguay, and Cape Verde.
The official announcement saw the exclusion of five players from the final list: Abdulrahman Al-Sanbi, Abdulqadoos Atiyah, Saleh Abu Al-Shamat, Zakaria Hawsawi, and Abdullah Al-Salem, after their participation in previous preparation stages and the national team’s recent camps.
Abu Al-Shamat and Hawsawi.. The notable absentees
The decision to exclude the duo Saleh Abu Al-Shamat and Zakaria Hawsawi sparked widespread reactions in sports circles and among Saudi fans, especially since the players had shown remarkable performances during the last season, and many observers believed they had a strong chance of being included in the final World Cup roster.
Fans circulated numerous questions on social media about the reasons for the duo’s absence, considering that their recent performances made them names capable of providing a technical addition to the Green team on the global stage, while the coaching staff, led by Donis, preferred other options that align with his technical vision and the tournament’s requirements.
3 players continue in the camp
On the other hand, the coaching staff decided to keep the trio Abdullah Al-Salem, Abdulrahman Al-Sanbi, and Abdulqadoos Atiyah in the national team camp, despite their exclusion from the final list, in anticipation of any developments that may arise before the competitions begin.
This approach aligns with the tournament regulations that allow for the replacement of any player listed in the final roster 24 hours before the national team’s first match in case of injury preventing participation, and the regulations also permit the replacement of an injured goalkeeper during the tournament.
The final list of the Green team
The Saudi national team’s roster for the World Cup includes: Mohammed Al-Owais, Nawaf Al-Aqidi, Ahmed Al-Qassar, Abdullah Al-Amri, Hassan Tambakti, Jihad Dhakri, Ali Lajami, Hassan Kadash, Saud Abdulhamid, Mohammed Abu Al-Shamat, Ali Majrashi, Muteb Al-Harbi, Nawaf Bushal, Mohammed Kanno, Abdullah Al-Khaibari, Ziad Al-Juhani, Nasser Al-Dosari, Musab Al-Juwair, Alaa Al-Hajji, Salem Al-Dosari, Khalid Al-Ghanam, Ayman Yahya, Sultan Mandash, Firas Al-Buraikan, Saleh Al-Shehri, and Abdullah Al-Hamdan.
A strong group awaits the Green team
The Saudi national team is anticipating a tough challenge in Group H, as it will face the teams of Spain, Uruguay, and Cape Verde, amid fans’ hopes for a commendable participation and a repeat of the impressive presence of the Green team showcased in previous World Cup editions.
